Frandsen cementing spot in Phils' infield

Philadelphia Phillies' Kevin Frandsen crosses home plate after hitting a home run in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, March 8, 2013, in Port Charlotte, Fla. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Kevin Frandsen is a big-league hitter. He always has believed that, and even though it took the utility infielder a while to convince a big-league team of it, the Phillies are sold on his swing as they enter 2013.

Frandsen never gave the organization another moment to question his competence at the plate after a slow start to 2012. After scuffling in spring training last year and hitting .197 in April, he never hit below .300 in a month the rest of the way -- .308 in May, .339 in June, .330 in July for Triple-A Lehigh Valley, then .352 in August and .313 in September for the Phillies as he took over third base after no less than three others tried and failed to fill in for Placido Polanco when a bad back rendered him useless.

This spring, Frandsen is making sure there is no wavering as the coaching staff decides which reserve infielders to keep. With veteran big-leaguer Yuniesky Betancourt in camp as a safety net in case Frandsen and Freddy Galvis either are injured or stumble badly during Grapefruit League action, both have solidified their standing during the first half of preseason.

In Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Rays, Frandsen started at second base and went 2-for-3 wit both of his hits coming against 2012 American League Cy Young winner David Price -- a sharp opposite-field single to right in the first inning to put Galvis in position to score the Phils’ first run, and a solo home run in the third inning to account for their other run.

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“He made a couple of mistakes,” Frandsen said of Price, “so I got fortunate with that.”

As long as Frandsen keeps taking advantage of mistakes by pitchers, his manager will be pleased.

“He’s hitting, man. That’s big-time hitting there off a big-league pitcher,” Charlie Manuel said of Frandsen. “I didn’t know too much about him before last spring, and he didn’t have what you would call a good spring (last year). But when we saw him for 200 at-bats at the end of last year he hit really well, and he’s carrying it over. He’s hitting the ball really well.”

The pair of knocks off Price lifted Frandsen’s average this spring to .385 (10-for-26), with most of his playing time coming against established major-league pitchers.

Frandsen doesn’t have the home-run pop of Betancourt (seven HRs in 215 ABs in 2012). He isn’t flashy in the field like the former Royal, nor does he have the range and arm that Galvis shows. But he is a career .310 hitter in the minors, never hitting below .295 in a year where he had 300 or more plate appearances. He also is a contact swinger, and in his three partial-season opportunities in the majors with the Phils, Angels and Giants he has had success as a pinch-hitter (.283, 13-for-46).

“I’m still a free swinger,” Frandsen said. “I just don’t feel I’m a free swinger on as many bad pitches. I was taught as a young hitter that with two strikes, put the ball in play and fortunate things happen.”

There aren’t many hitters at any level who do more with two strikes than Frandsen. He hit .308 in two-strike counts for the Phils last season, including .308 when the count was 0-2 and a ridiculous .500 with a full count.

“I’ve been more consistent in not getting out of my approach and trusting in my two-strike approach,” he said, “that I don’t have to get on the first pitch. I can see some pitches, or work the count.”

If the Phils carry both Galvis and Frandsen, it would give Manuel the freedom to use Galvis as a defensive replacement for Michael Young at third base late in close games if desired, while still having Frandsen as another guy who can play any infield spot, yet supply a solid bat off the bench.

Any question about Betancourt threatening Frandsen’s status seems to have been settled in the opening few weeks.

“Frandsen right now is definitely the better hitter between (him and Betancourt),” Manuel said.

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Kyle Kendrick had as impressive an opening two innings as a pitcher could have Friday. In the opening inning he got a pair of weak grounders, followed by a three-pitch strikeout of Evan Longoria. In the second inning, he sandwiched a couple of strikeouts around another weak ground out.

Things got a bit dicey in the third, as the right-hander ran into some two-out trouble in the inning and allowed RBI doubles to Yunel Escobar and Longoria.

“The first two innings were great,” Kendrick said. “The changeup was good early, then I think I buried too many of them.”

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The Dom Brown show continued Friday, as he lined a pair of singles to left field against Price. The left-handed outfielder has shown no difficulties with southpaws at all, and unlike most left-handed hitters his splits as a professional hitter aren’t much different against lefties than righties.

“I think time will tell,” Manuel said of Brown’s ability to stay in the lineup against left-handers. “Right now, the way he’s playing and the way he’s hitting the ball, he’s hitting both. He’s getting hits off lefties, and hitting the ball hard off them. So far he’s probably the bright spot of spring training.”

Brown got a scare in the second inning after his first hit when Tampa Bay first baseman James Loney stepped on his hand as he dove back to first on a pickoff throw. Brown had a couple of cleat marks on the knuckle below his index finger on his right hand, but said it wasn’t of any concern.

NOTES: Right-hander Mike Stutes struck out two in an inning of relief for the Phils as he tries to persuade the coaching staff he can break camp with the big club and won’t need Triple-A time after shoulder surgery scrapped most of his 2012 ... Phillippe Aumont might have an inside track in the Phils’ bullpen, but he got thrashed pitching for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic Friday. The big right-hander gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning as Italy beat the Canucks, 14-4 ... Archbishop Carroll product Mike Costanzo went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two walks and two RBIs for the Italians ... Phils minor-leaguer Tyson Gillies went 0-for-3 leading off for Canada, and Pete Orr had an RBI hit.